Interchangeable-unit car



H. W. KIRCHNER.

INTERCHANGEABLE UNIT CAR. APPLICAT'ION FILED MAR. 22. 19|7.

1,360,412. Patented Nov. 30,1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

H. W. KIRCHNER.

INTERCHANGEABLE UNIT CAR.

APPLICATION FILED IIIAII. 22. 1917 1,360,412, Patented N0V..30, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED 'STATES -PAgTENT OFFICE.

HENRY W. KIRCHNER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO RIVER A PGRTATION COMPANY, OFST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF OKLAHOMA.

INTERCHANGEABLE-UNIT CAR.

To ZZ whom may concern.'

Be it known that 1, HENRY W. KIRCHNER,

a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Interchangeable-Unit Cars, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact kdescription, such as will enable others skilled in the vart to which it ap pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part ofA this specification.

This invention relates to railway cars, and specifically to certain improvements in cars of the type known as interchangeable unit cars which are characterized by the vemployment of a special underframe construction arranged for the reception of specially formed containers or units in which the cargo is carried.' It is the intention that the units or containers so employed be individually movable and interchan eable on the underframe and among di erent similar cars. The present applicatidn is directed to a special form of car construction whose parf ticular object is to facilitate thehandling of the units or containers by making special provision for the loading and unloading thereof by means of trucks or transveyors.

Fijrther objects are to provide a special and improved form of container designed for this special use, and to provide also an improved form 'of securing or attaching means for retaining the containers upon the underframe.

Other and further objects will be obvious or pointed yout hereinafter by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a partial side elevation of a car embodying my improved design;

Fig. 2 is an elevational detail with parts in section illustrating various features of the construction; i

Fig. 3 is a similar elevational detail of a modified form;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of my improved form of container;

Fig. 5 is a perspective detail illustrating the securing means; and

Fig.v6 is aperspective showing a form of transveyor truck which may be employed in the operation of my car.

Referring to these drawings by the char- Specication of Ltters Patent. Patented NOV 30, 1.920. Application filed March 22, 1917.

Serial No. 156,581.

stood that the numeral 1 designates generally longitudinal members of the car underframe, which longitudinal members may be of any desired' number, form and relative disposal. These longitudinal members are connected by suitable transverse members 1n any of the conventional fashions, and the underframe construction so formed is equipped-for support upon any appropriate form'of railway car truck.

Suitably supported upon the underframe formed by the longitudinal and transverse framing members are seat members 4 directed transversely of the underframe and suitably spaced for the reception and retention of the interchangeable units or containers 5.

In the form illustrated in Fig. 2, the seat members 4 are in the form of angle bars applied to the underframe members and having their upstanding flanges arranged to engage the lateral portions of the lower eX- tremities of the containers. The containers in this form are provided with depending supporting portions 6 which spacethe bottomsof the containers apart from the seat ways 7 extending below the bottoms of the -containers and adapted to support a truck of the proper gage to permit its being rolled thereon to a position below the containers. The truck which I propose to use in this connection is of the typecommonly known as a transveyor, and is characterized by the provision of an adjustable platform lportion upon which the load is carried, and which platform portion may be raised and lowered at will to raise or lower the load relative to the running gear. One form of this truck is illustrated in"Fig. 6. To accommodate the front or intermediate wheel, an additional track member 7 is disposed upon the underframe structure properly spaced relative to the track portions 7. In the employment of a car of this character, lit is in- ND RAIL TRANS- from below it. When thus positioned on the tainers removably supported thereon seat, the container may be secured by any" appropriate securingA meansythat illustrated comprising a combination `of revoluble shafts 8 which may be operated from a suitable hand crank, which shafts carry'engaging members 9.projecting outwardly therefrom and formed with portions adapted to engage suitable keepers on the containers. In the present embodiment, these keepers are formed by the provision of apertures 10 in the depending supporting portions 6 of they container, and the engaging members 9 are in the form of hooks vadapted to swing into the said apertures. When so positioned, the retaining members operate to secure the containers firmly in their seats to insure their safe carriage to the oint of delivery.

In Fig. 3, a mod ed arrangement is illustrated wherein the body of vthe container rests directly upon the seat member and the track numbers 7 and 7 are disposed in alower plane.` The utilization of this arrangement is effected in the manner as above described with reference to the preferred form. l

By virtue of this arrangement, the handling of the containers is greatly facilitated,

and `the necessity for expensive special lequipments such as derricks or cranes is obviated. p I am aware that `the invention is susceptible of embodiment in forms differing in various particulars from* those herein illustrated and described without departing from'the intended scope of the appended claims.

l What I claim is:

1. In a car of the class described, the combination of an underrame, cargo cona lurality of spaced truck runways provide on said underframe and disposed below and spaced apart :trom the bottoms' of said conrtainers and means arranged in the spaces between the truck runways for engaging the u t' 3 -lower portions of the cargo containers and locking them in position on the underframe.

2. In a car of the class described, the combination with an underframe, a plural ity 'of transversely disposed truck runways arranged on said underframe, a series of movable containers adapted to be positioned on parts`otl said runways, the bottoms of which containers are spaced apart from said runways, and means arranged between the truck runways for engaging the lower portions of 'said containers and locking them in `position upon the runways.y

3. In a car of the class described, the combination with an underframe, of a series of movable containers adapted to be interchangeably positioned upon said .under trame, portions of certain of the walls oi each container being extended downwardly to form supporting legs for thecOntainer, and said downwardly extending portions being provided with apertures adapted to receive holding devices. f

4. In a car of the class described, the combination with an underframe, of a plurality of pairs'of transversely disposed seats on said `undertrarne, which seats are adapted -to receive movable containers, and truckf runways on said underframe between said `seats and below the bottoms of the containv ers positioned on said seats. y

5. In a car of the class described', the. c om bination with a supporting underfram'e, of pairs of seat members transversely disposed thereupon, portions of which seat members are extended inward to form track members, a third track member transversely disposed upon the underframe and arranged a i signature in the 

